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INDIA’S FRENCH CONNECTION
The Rafale Marine deal stresses the importance of
the strategic relationship between India and France
By JAY MENON
I ndia is expected to finalise Navy has sought specific The Indian Navy’s sole operational
aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya,
the contract agreement with
enhancements to enable
France to buy 26 Rafale M
fighters for the Navy by the end them to operate the fighters currently operates Mig-29K fighters.
from both the aircraft car-
of the year. On July 14, 2023 the India decision to opt for the Rafale
Indian government had announced riers----INS Vikrant and INS Marine will highlight the contin-
the selection of the Navy Rafale to Vikramaditya,” an official of ued lack of success of US fighter
equip the Indian Navy with a lat- India’s Ministry of Defence said. aircraft manufacturers to become
est-generation fighter. a part of India’s inventory, despite
long-standing and robust efforts. It
“Cost negotiations are Of the 26 aircraft, the Indian Navy will also signify an increasing share
underway to acquire Rafale is understood to be acquiring 22 of European manufacturers in the
Marine, or Rafale M, and single seater units, and another four Indian military aerospace market,
we are in the final stages twin seaters, for training purpose. opined Dr S. Samuel C. Rajiv,
Associate Fellow at the Manohar
“Deliveries are expected to start
of agreeing on the base three years after the signing of the Parrikar Institute for Defence
price of the aircraft. The final contract,” the official noted. Studies and Analyses, New Delhi.
ASIAN DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY MAY - JULY 2024 | 17
